Steerable wheel construction



1 623 554 April 5,1927.A E. H. RENDE l STEERABLE WHEEL CONSTRUCTION l Filed Nov. 15, 1922 '/7 l, I, 'a f "g5 ramas Apr. s, 1921.

gi-.UNITED STATI-:s Pn'lsNfr'A OFFICE.-

nnwann n. ammini, or cnavnnmn, onio, Assreiron yro man BAKER-BAULANG l comuni?, or oLnvELAND, orne, A qonronnrIoN or omo. srnmnnn WHEEL consrnuorrom Application illed November This invention relates to a stelerable wheel construction, more particularly to the axle,

wheel spindle and steering-knuckle of one or morel wheels for al vehicle.

The invention may be applied to and bodied in any desired tyfpe of vehicle and also vehicle wheels whic puttin my invention into actual 'use I have t applic it to and embodied it in the trailing or load SupportingI wheels and axle of an industrial truck, more particularly a truck vof this character in which a portion of the truck frame is dropped or arran ed rela-I tively low to the supportin surace,l b ut, 1li` such use and` a'p licaton o my invention :is merely by pre erence and for illustrative purposes.

One object of the invention i's to provide an improved steering knuckle joint, wheel lo spindle and axle construction in which the weight 'of the vehicle and the load thereon iscarried by the knuckles independently -of the pivot pin for the knuckle' joint, so as to leave the pvot pin free to function as `the u pivot foret e wheel.` I`

Another object of the invention I1s to pro- 'vide an improved steering knuckle ointof relative] simple construction the e ements of whic are constructed an arranged to :o reducethe stresseseon the pivot pin of .the

`joint,\whereby steerin operations mayll be eifected in an easy an ready manner.

Another object of 'the invention 1s to provide an improved steering knuckle joint- 5 wherein'A a) the load due to the weight of the vehic e frame and any load or weight thereon is carried by the knuckles independently of the pivot `pin forI the ]o1nt and (b) `the bearing elements which carry the 0 load between the knuckles are so arranged Aand correlated as to reduce to a minimum the friction between them incident to thesteerin o rations.v n tlir ob'ects of the invention will'fbe 'ap- 5 parenttoose skilled-in thearttol which my invention relates from the following description taken in connection with the'ac-y companying drawing, whereinj Fi 1 isa sec-tional view-of a wheel,'wheel D spin e, an axle Vand a'steering or knuckle )ointfbet-ween the spindle-y and axle, `.embody- 1 n 'my invention. l .p y

ig.,2 1s a fragmentary sectional view of are driven. Inl

15, 1922. Serial No. 801,098.

certain elements of the knuckle'joint, sepa-4 rated. v

In the drawin s, 1 indicates an axle for a vehicle or vehic e frame (not shown), a Eortion of one end of the axle being shown. T e axle 1 may be of an desired construction. As already state my invention' is shown, for illustrative purposes, as adapted' for use in an industrial truck preferably `that type of truck having a drop' or low `.lying frame section, one example ofI which is shown in my copending application filed only April 14, 1922 Serial No. 552,780. 1a indil i cates a knuckle formed on the end ofthe axle 1, it bein understood that the opposite end of the ax e 1 is similarly constructed.`

2 indicatesl a wheel, preferabl comprising.

a hub 3, a felloc` Aor rin'i 4 an a tire 5of suitable material, ysuch as rubber or rubber axisv of` apivot pin?v (to be later referredl to), upon which the wheel 42 is swlngable for steering purposes, is arranged in the rplane of the tread of the wheel 2 and (2) near its outer end a seat Gfor anti-friction bearings 8. There are preferably two sets of bearings 8, the inner set engaging anannular shoulder 9, which is the bearin s, or the inner set thereof is ar.-r

ranged in t e plane of thetready ofthe wheel 't 10 indicates a wheel axley or spindle provided'at klits inner end with upper andv ower knuckles 11, 12, having openings 11k-5, 112,

respectively, arranged to align VwiththeA l i opening 1" formed in the knucklelgso as to receive the ivot in 7 and 'be pivotally connected there y.

toforms a part, wherebythe so arrangedy that 1 1y have as illustrated in vhe pivot pin 7 ispreff `erablycut away at one sidefto form akeypway 13y so 'that' a key 14 may be inserted in a key-.way lformed in the knuckle 1* and thus fix the'pin 7 to the'latter. The keyway 13 is preferably of greater width than that portion of the key 14 with which it engages in order that the pivot pin 7 may move endwise in the knuckles 1, 11, 12, for a purpose to be later set forth.

The upper knuckle 11 is preferablyprovided with an arm 15 adapted to have connected to it a suitable steering-connection (not shown), by means of which the wheel 2 may be operated about the ivot pin 7.

The outer end of the wheel) spindle 10 is preferably reduced, as shown at 10a, and such reduced end is provided with screw threads 16 to receive a nut 17, which engages the outer anti-friction bearing 8 and maintains both bearings in osition with the inner one against the shou der 9. 18 indicates a washer arranged between the nut 17 and the bearing 8. This washer may be of the locking type, if desired, to lock the nutl in adjusted position. 19 indicates a cap having screw thread engagement with the inner wall of the hub 3 and serving to keep dirt and other foreign matter out of the bearings 8. 20 indicates an annular member disposed between the inner bearing 8 and the shoulder Y 9 and serving to close the bearings at their inner side against the entry of foreign matter.

21 indicates devices interposed between the axle 1 and one of the spindle knuckles 11 or 12 and arranged to carry or support the weight Aof the vehicle frame and any load thereon independently of the pivot pin 7, thereby relieving the latter of, strains in a vertical direct-ion due to the weight of the vehicle frame or its load and permitting the pin to more freely function as a shaft or pivot for the steering wheel 2. The devices 21 are preferably arranged between the lower sideY of the knuckle 1a and the lower knuckle 12 of the wheel spindle 10. The supporting devices 21 comprise the following instrumentalities: a cup shaped member 22 fitting within the opening 12 in the knuckle 12 and providedA with a flange 23 which engages the upper face of the knuckle 12 to support the member 22 in the opening 12., a tubular member 24, with which the under side or face of the knuckle 1a engages, sleeved on the lower free end of the pivot pin 7 and loosely .fitting within and rotatably engaging the inner walls of the cup shaped member 22, so as to rotate thereinbeing preferably rovided with a flange 25 to form a relativey wlde surface for engagement with the knuckle la; and a thrust or bearing element 26 between the lower circumferential end of the tubular member 24 and the bottom 22 ofthe cup shaped member 22. The lower face of the thrust element 26 is preferably Spherical shaped to provide a point contact and to arrange such point in alignment with the axis of the pivot in 7, thereby reducing the friction between t e load supporting devices to a minimum. Due to the frictional engagement of the cup shaped member 22 and its flange 23 with the walls of the opening 12 and upper face of the knuckle 12 and of the tubular member 24 with the under face of the knuckle 1B, they have xed relationship thereto, respectively, and rotate relative to each other when the wheel is steered; likewise, the frictional engagement between the tubular member .24 and the thrust element 26 will cause it to rotate therewith on the bottom 22,

From the foregoing description it will be seen that the weight of. the vehicle frame and the load thereon is transmitted through the knuckle 1tl to the tubular member 24 and from the latter through the thrust element 26 direct to the cup shaped member 22, which is su ported in and 'b the lower knuckle 12, 1ndependently of t e pivot pin 7, thereby relieving the pin of strains or stresses incident to this weight in a vertical direction and permitting it to function freely as the steering shaft or post or pivot for the wheel 2. It will also be seen that the load supporting devices 22, 24, are concen- Atrically arranged, one rotating within the other, and that by the inter-positioning between them of a thrust element having a spherical lower surface, the devlces 22, 24,

move relative to each other with minimum friction Vand their axis of rotation is disposed in line with the axis of the pivot pin 7. In addition to their load carrying or supporting function, the members 22, 24, serve as a bearing to support the lower end of the pivot pin 7 in the knuckle 12.

The pivot pin 7 is preferably separated at its lower end from the thrust or bearing element 26 to prevent any portion of the weight of the vehicle frame being carried by it. To insure this result, the keyway 13 is widened, as already described, to permit the pin 7 to be so positioned in the knuckle 1a that its lower free end will not engage the thrust or bearing element 26.

27 indicates a bushing, which is preferably provided in the opening 11a of the upper knuckle 11 to serve as a bearing for the upper end of the pivot pin 7.

By supporting the load-the vehicle frame Y and the material or products which may at any time be supported thereon-directly between the'knuckles of Athe steeringjoint, the strains and stresses incident thereto 1n a vertical direction are materially minimized, thereby (l) permitting steering to be effected relatively easy and (2) reducing wear on the pivot pin. permits the pivot pin to be supported in position and the knuckles maintained in aerial alignment by relatively simple means, to wit, an ordinary cotter pin or key engaging the .pin and one of the knuckles. The simpl1c1ty of the construction lends itself ad- Furthermore, the construction.

vantageously for embodiment in a relatively small wheel, more particularly wherein suc application of .the invention the knuckle joint is disposed within the wheel structure to position the axis of the pivot pin in the plane of the tread of the wheel.

To those skilled inthe art to which my invention relates, many alterations in and widely differing embodiments and applicationsof my invention will suggest themselves without departing from the-spiritl and scope thereon The disclosures and the description herein are purely illustrative and are not iii'tended to be in any sense limiting.

' Whatl claim is: v

1. \In`a steering wheel construction for a vehicle, the combination of an axle having a knuckle at its end, a wheel spindle having i upper and lower knuckles arranged to alignI with said axle knuckle, a pivot in disposed 1n the openings in said knuc les, a cup shapedmember supported in the o ning in said lower spindle knuckle, a -tubu ar member engaging the under side of said axle knuckle, 'sleeved on said pin and rotatably fitting said cup shaped member, and a .thrust element interposed between the lower end of said tubular member and the bottom of said cup shaped member, whereby the weight of the vehicle frame is carried by said knuckles independently of said pivot pin, the under side vof said thrust element [L being spherical to provide a point contact in line with the axis of said pivot pin.

2. In a steerin wheel construction for a4 n vehicle, the combination of an axle, a wheel,

an axle for said wheel, a joint between said axles comprisingknuckles and a pivot pin disposed in the openings in said knuckles, a pair of annular elementssurrounding one end of said pivot pin and engaging said knuckles, res ect-ively, `one of said elements having awal at oneend, and a thrust device between said wall and the adjacent end'of the other annular element, whereby said elements and thrust device carry the wei ht of the vehicle frame independently of sai pivot pin.

3. In a steering wheel constructionl for a vehicle, the combination of an axle havin a knuckle at its free end, a wheel, a spin le g for said wheel having knucklesarranged to i knuckles, a pair of concentrica bottom and the inner element engaging the intermediate knuckle of the joint, anda thrust member disposed between said elements and engaging said bottom at a point in line with the axis of said pivot pin and arranged to carry the weight of the vehicle frame independently of said pivot in.

4. In a steerable wheel construction for a vehicle, the combination of an axle, a wheel, a joint between said axle and wheel comF Eising spaced knuckles, an intermediate uckle and a pivot pin extending therethrough, a cu 'shaped member isposed within one of the spaced knuckles and hava tubular mem er sleeved on the end of said pivot pin adjacent said cup member and engagin at one end the wall of the intermediate uckle adjacent said flange and rotatably fitting said cup member, and thrust means inter osed between the opposite end of said tubu ar member and the end wall of said 'cup member, whereb 'the weight is carried vby said knuckles independently of said ivot pin.

5. n -a steerin vehicle, the combination of an axle, a wheel spindle, a joint between said axle andlsad spindle comprising knuckles -and a piv t pin therefor, and means comprising a pa of concentric relatively movable devices surrounding the vpivot pin of said joint and engaging an axle knuckle and a spindle knuc e, respectively, and a thrust element between said devices arranged to carry the ing a flange en aging the inner wall thereof,

wheel construction for a weight ofthe vehicle vframe independently subscribed ,my name.

` EDWARD H. 

